Ode to Pete Rose

In his own mind, Marvin Foley is the greatest Little League baseball player in the world. But in order to prove it he must become an All Star and take his team to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. However, no team from Italy has ever won the Transatlantic Tournament and the right to represent Europe in the LLWS. Marvin aims to change that. More

Marvin Foley’s ambition would have rivaled that of Julius Caesar. Never has a kid had such great confidence in his own ability on a baseball diamond. Ode to Pete Rose chronicles eighteen months in the life of a self-proclaimed Little League baseball legend, a boy who is forever focused on his lifetime goal—to be enshrined in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. More immediate however is his goal of taking his All Star baseball team from a small army base near Livorno, Italy onto the European stage of The Transatlantic Championship in Wiesbaden, Germany, and finally to the greatest stage in the world for Little League baseball, The Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. And if it isn’t difficult enough just to play and win baseball games, Marvin Foley is forever burying landmines along his own road to glory. His loud and obnoxious personality and his poor decision making gets him into constant trouble with his parents, teammates, teachers, and most importantly with his coaches. It’s a wonder that this boy can navigate through the minefield given his lack of critical thinking skills, but with the help of Pete Rose, his idol and mentor, sail through he does while all the time remaining true to his own set of baseball-rules-for-life. With the help of his gang-teammates-best friends, Mike Warren, Leonard Liggins, and Danny Mucci, and in spite of the artillery directed at him from his most hated enemy, Miss Lori Campbell, the smartest, prettiest, and meanest girl in his grade, and because he just happens to be the best Little League ballplayer in the entire world, he, Marvin Foley reaches the first stage on his journey to Cooperstown. Marvin carries his teammates from Livorno all the way to Williamsport.

I teach 9th and 11th grade English at La Jolla High School in San Diego, California. I also teach at Southwestern College in Chula Vista. My ideas for stories come from the experiences I had moving frequently as a child, from the many different people and groups of people that I've met, known, and taught, from being a parent to two teenagers, and from my love of literature.

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Review by:
Julie Latta
on Oct. 8, 2013 :
This read was recommended to me and frankly, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. A book about kids playing baseball? Not exactly the subject matter I am most often drawn to. But this book did not disappoint. To the contrary, it inspired. The characters were well developed, with struggles and triumphs that were relatable, whether or not one has ever set foot on a baseball diamond. They held true to their vision, while being gently nudged by the influence of the others in the book. That tenacity and truth of spirit made it hard for me to put this book down, even when the night grew long and I knew I needed to get to sleep. The descriptions of the game situations are exhilarating, with just the right amount of detail and suspense. As a (OK middle aged) woman I loved this book, but would also recommend it to young adult readers, as well. The characters make a statement, but never preach. The moral is understated, but ever clear. The characters are not sugar coated. They are real, and for that we cheer them on. HIghly recommend!